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The Mozilla Foundation is excited to announce that applications are now being accepted for Alumni Connection Grants!
Mozilla is building an alumni program to support and engage the global community of alumni, who are past participants of Fellowship or Awards programs working on a wide range of pressing topics within many intersecting movements. The thread that links us all is a vision for a world where technology serves the public interest.
The work of building, supporting, and sustaining an alumni network contributes to Mozilla’s objective of building collective power via relationships, infrastructure and strategic pathways. Critical to this work are strong relationships and networks, which are rooted in connection.
2023 has been a year of experimentation and learning as the alumni program takes shape. To this effect, we are excited to offer flexible, experimental awards of up to $15,000 USD for alumni to use for short term projects, initiatives or events.
Through this call for proposals, Mozilla seeks to explore how alumni can nurture relationships with each other, connect as a network, explore collaboration and share their impactful work with the world.
We welcome applications from any alumni of Mozilla Fellowship or Awards programs, including past participants who are individuals, small communities and teams, or organizations.
What we're looking for
The format of these awards is intended to be very open. Projects, events, workshops, meetups, or gatherings are all possibilities. Individual project support and travel funding may be supported provided the application shows how the proposal supports connection to the broader community. This list is not meant to be exhaustive. If you have a proposal that doesn’t fit within this list but matches the objectives of the call for proposals as described above, we encourage you to apply.
Eligibility
Applicants must meet the following requirements
- Be legally able to receive funds in the form of grants from the Mozilla Foundation (a U.S. 501(c)(3) non-profit organization)
- Be working towards solving a public interest problem or issue
- Be a Mozilla Alum (a previous participant of a Fellowship or Awards program as an individual, small community, team, or organization)
- Work must begin in 2023, and it is anticipated that projects will take up to 6 months to complete.
Awards may not be made to anyone who is currently engaged as staff at the Mozilla Foundation, Mozilla, or a Mozilla subsidiary.
If you have any questions about your eligibility, please reach out to Hailey Froese, Program Officer Alumni Engagement at [email protected].
Award Details
Awards of $3,000 to $15,000 USD each are available, from a total pool of $75,000 USD. Our goal is to provide Alumni flexible and accessible resources to support their work and ideas, and this is an initial experimental effort towards this goal.
Grant terms can be flexible based on the nature of the work, but the work must begin in 2023. We imagine most grant terms would be up to 6 months in duration.
Other support we offer:
- Community: Connections with like-minded leaders, fellow alumni, and Mozilla staff are encouraged and can be supported in alignment with the projects.
- Showcasing Work: Mozilla holds an annual festival called MozFest which brings together artists, activists, thinkers, and builders working from around the world who are all working towards a healthier internet. This event provides a place and an opportunity to convene, facilitate or curate in a way that helps fellows and awardees raise the issues that are most pressing for them and their communities. There will be an optional opportunity for Alumni Connection grantees to showcase their work at MozFest.
Awardees will be asked to share their reflections and learnings from their project after the project period.
How to Apply
This is a two step application process.
Step 1: Alumni are invited to submit proposals via this form. A review committee made up of Mozilla staff (including at least one alumni) will review applications.
Step 2: Successful applicants will be invited to submit a full application via Fluxx.
Award Selection
Applications will be reviewed by a committee of Mozilla staff, and awardees will be selected based on alignment with the purpose of this fund and of funds available.
Only those projects meeting the applicant eligibility and award requirements listed above will be reviewed.
All proposed grant decisions are subject to a legal review to confirm the applicant’s eligibility.
Key Dates & Deadlines
- 11 September: Initial application form opens.
- 16 October: Deadline for submitting initial application form.
- 1 November: Notification of decision will be communicated to all applicants. Successful applicants will be invited to submit a full application in Fluxx.
- 17 November: Deadline for Fluxx application.
- December 2023: Grant terms will begin.
Important Notes
- All registrations and submissions must be in English.
- No responsibility is assumed for lost, late, incomplete, invalid, illegible, incorrect, inaccurate, or misdirected registrations or submissions; or for any error, human, technical, or otherwise, that may occur in the processing of submissions.
- With applicant permission, submitted applications may be shared with other projects within Mozilla, other foundations, and partner organizations.
- Neither Mozilla nor any potential grantee responding to this Call For Proposals shall be considered to have entered into an agreement, until and unless both parties have signed a separate definitive grant agreement.
- Grantees are responsible to pay their own taxes on the grants. Mozilla reserves the right to withhold taxes as it believes necessary under applicable laws, and to reduce the net grant provided to the grantee accordingly.
- Work must begin in part before the end of 2023.
Questions?
Please see our awards FAQ here
Additional Questions
Please direct questions specific to this funding opportunity to Hailey Froese, Program Officer Alumni Engagement at [email protected].
For questions not answered there, or for assistance using Fluxx to submit your application, please email [email protected]